1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to communication systems and, more particularly, to a real time fiber optic matrix switch interconnection that mimics the specific system platform or generation of equipment that personnel undergoing training will encounter on a particular ship to which they are being assigned, or into which any new hardware or software being tested and evaluated must be integrated.
2. Description of the Related Art
In combat, a fleet of U.S. Navy ships is frequently involved in close-range offensive and defensive combat. During such close range combat, the shipboard Combat Information Center (“CIC”) is the focus of all naval and joint air defense management activity, and is the locus of all rapid, complex tactical decision-making by ship commanders.
The Naval Tactical Data System (“NTDS”) is an electronic shipboard combat data communication system that is used by the various on-board computers, sensors, and weapon systems to communicate with each other. This data communication system provides naval commanders in the shipboard CIC with a broad picture of the current tactical situation facing them, and helps them coordinate fleet air defense, antisubmarine warfare, and surface defense operations. The NTDS ties together, via directly cabled digital data links, various shipboard missile and gun weapons systems and many other shipboard functions into a single computerized entity comprised of high-speed digital computers, transmitters, receivers, cryptographic equipment, long range radars and sensors, magnetic tapes, disk drives, and various computer monitors and consoles (the “NTDS Peripheral Devices”). This integrated NTDS entity enables commanders to track friendly and hostile contacts from the CIC, and to transmit this information to other shipboard elements and to other units. Through this process, NTDS empowers commanders in the modern, complex, multi-threat combat environment to deal with the massive number of hostile targets and the compressed reaction times that typify modern naval warfare.
A typical NTDS 600 is illustrated in FIG. 6. The NTDS 600 includes NTDS computers 610, displays 612, standard peripherals 614, data links 616, manual entry devices 618, multiplexing and conversion elements 620, anti submarine warfare (ASW) systems 630, missile systems 632, gun systems 634, electronic countermeasures (ECM) systems 636, and ship attitude sensors 638.
In order for all U.S. Navy NTDS Peripheral Devices to communicate through a NTDS, a series of standards have evolved that apply to all NTDS subsystems. These standards and protocols embrace a point to point communications specification that is employed by nearly all of the Navy's NTDS Peripheral Devices to enable them to “talk” to the tactical “host” computers. The NTDS communication standards are divided into nine data types or classifications, all with differing data transfer speeds, methods, and control signals, and with further internal classifications depending upon whether the NTDS signal being transmitted is from computer to computer, computer to Peripheral Device, or Peripheral Device to Peripheral Device (collectively, the NTDS “Data Languages”). For specific information of each NTDS type, refer to MIL-STD-1397 (NAVY), the latest version of which is MIL-STD-1397C, is available from the Naval Publications and Forms center, Philadelphia, Pa., or at http://www.dodssp .daps.mil. MIL-STD-1397 is incorporated herein by reference.
The AEGIS weapons system, first employed in the early 1980s, is the most modern evolution of the NTDS concept, integrating state-of-the-art radar and missile systems. The missile launching system, the computer programs, the radar and the displays are completely integrated to work together to defend against advanced air, surface, and subsurface threats. AEGIS-equipped ships are capable of simultaneously engaging and defeating enemy aircraft, missiles, submarines, and surface ships, and are key elements in the Navy's modern carrier and battleship battle groups.
Different types of ships, however, incorporate a different mix of NTDS weapons and related subsystems. Moreover, the Navy's fleet also exhibits different generational phases or evolutions of NTDS system implementation within the same or similar vessel classes. These configurations are commonly referred to as “Baselines”. These circumstances present the Navy with significant command, control, and personnel training, qualification, and simulation challenges. The Navy must insure that commanders and crew rotating for assignment to ships that have different equipment configurations are able to undergo shore-based training, qualification and simulation on the precise technology and/or equipment configuration that they will face on board ship. Moreover, Navy commanders must continually test and evaluate new hardware and software for potential integration into already existing NTDS configurations and older generation equipment.
This circumstance requires the Navy, when conducting shore-based training, qualification, simulation, testing, and evaluation, to have the ability to easily and rapidly reconfigure its training equipment and facilities to mimic the specific system platform or generation of equipment that the personnel undergoing training will encounter on the particular ship to which they are being assigned, or into which any new hardware or software being tested and evaluated must be integrated. The wide range of existing hardware and software configurations render it impractical and cost prohibitive to maintain separate systems for all fielded versions. The constituent elements of these shore-based training facilities and equipment that must be constantly configured and reconfigured to mimic a specific on-board system are sometimes located at disparate physical locations at the shore installation involved. Thus, in addition to being electrically reconfigured, these shore-based facilities and equipment must have the capability to be electrically linked at distances that far exceed the normal capability of NTDS data cables. Whatever the extent of physical separation among these constituent configuration elements, the resulting configuration still must electronically mimic a particular vessel's shipboard system to facilitate realistic training, evaluation, qualification, and simulation.
Previous technology for achieving this electronic “linking together” of disparately located shore-based training equipment has proved unsatisfactory to the Navy. The monumental size, length, and amount of cable required to connect the various pieces of equipment comprising a specific NTDS shipboard configuration's weapons systems, computers, transmitters, receivers, cryptographic equipment, radars, sensors, magnetic tapes, disks, displays and consoles is unwieldy. Earlier techniques also were prone to generating delays in receipt of data between sender and recipient components that destroyed the instant, “real time” mimicry of shipboard systems that the tactical computer programs require to function properly, and that are so important to the training that occurs in these facilities. There was also an accompanying degradation in signal integrity that further diminished the capability of the electronic configuration to adequately mimic its shipboard counterpart.
The related art is represented by the following references of interest.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,023,752, issued on Feb. 8, 2000 to William M. Huttle, describes a program driver that allows for the exchange of information between an NTDS device and a device having a bus topology, especially a VMEbus. The program driver utilizes chain commands which are fully programmable at the user level. The processor itself is programmed at the register level to assure the fastest data rate possible across the VMEbus. The processor driver is invisible to the user. The Huttle patent does not suggest a real time fiber optic matrix switch connection according to the claimed invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,269,114 B1, issued on Jul. 31, 2001 to Robert M. Paterno, describes a monitor that presents a negligible load to a hardwired interface, provides electrical isolation between all of the interconnected equipment, adds no significant delay to the interface data, provides for maximum reliability of interface operation, provides for remote operation of the monitoring function, provides for noise immune reception of interface data, maintains interface controlled impedance, provides for ease of installation, and does not perturb system operation in any significant way. The Paterno '114 patent does not suggest a real time fiber optic matrix switch connection according to the claimed invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,366,562 B1, issued on Apr. 2, 2002 to Robert M. Paterno, describes a monitor that is used to transmit data being exchanged over an NTDS Type E interface to an instrumentation system. The monitor is electrically isolated from the instrumentation system and includes a directional coupler that passes and inhibits selected data to and from the instrumentation system. The Paterno '562 patent does not suggest a real time fiber optic matrix switch connection according to the claimed invention.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,426,952 B1 and 6,526,048 B1, issued on Jul. 30, 2002 and Feb. 25, 2003, respectively, to Harry F. Francis et al., describe a multi-interface point-to-point switching system that includes a plurality of I/O ports coupled to a plurality of respective devices, and a switching fabric that selectively delivers each of a plurality of different signals from a selected one of the I/O ports coupled to a sending one of the devices to another selected one of the I/O ports coupled to a receiving one of the devices, to thereby establish respective connections between the sending and receiving devices. The Francis et al. '952 and '048 patents do not suggest a real time fiber optic matrix switch connection according to the claimed invention.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed. Thus a real time fiber optic matrix switch interconnection solving the aforementioned problems is desired.